A Statement read in the House of Deputies by the Rev. Kendall Harmon, Deputy of South Carolina
In response to the consent to V. Gene Robinson as bishop-elect of New Hampshire

Note: This posting contains the extra wording added by Dr. Harmon as he spoke. This exact wording is not available from other sources distributing his prepared text. This is verbatim. It is the exact speech given on the floor of the House of Deputies on Wednesday, August 6, 2003.

In the Name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

I rise on behalf of many members of this house in response to the action to consent to the election of a person sexually active outside of Holy Matrimony.

Though many of you are celebrating, many of us are mourning. Let me tell you what some of us experienced last night.

A 24 year-old woman, married just 5 weeks ago in the Episcopal Church, sobbed uncontrollably over what she felt was a betrayal by her Church.

A 56-year-old layman said, "I’ve been faithful to God’s sexual standards all my life and now my bishop and my church tell me it doesn’t matter."

An anguished GenX youth minister feels his church now offers no support to his teenagers struggling to maintain sexually purity.

A rector has already received numerous emails telling him that faithful parishioners have now left his parish and your church.

So far, I have only mentioned the perspective of those inside this country, but there are others whose voices are crying out to be heard. I wonder if all those in this House realize that during the two debates we have had on human sexuality—the debate on Friday night on the liturgies of blessing and the debate on the floor about the ratification of the bishop-elect of New Hampshire, not one person—no one—who spoke in favor of the innovation in church teaching mentioned any perspective from beyond our shores. This is a tragedy because they see this decision in a very different light than many here do.

Consider the words of the primate of the Southern Cone, Greg Venables, a man who oversees Anglicans in seven South American countries. "The vast majority of Anglicans throughout the world say ‘This is terrible’" he recently said. "It would appear in the United States the opinion is: ‘So What?’ And that is what horrifies the vast majority of Anglicans. It is not merely about sexuality. It’s about the way we make decisions as Anglicans." His view represents the perspective of the majority of Anglicans throughout the world.

Let me now make clear why so many people feel so strongly about this decision.

By contravening the "historic faith and order" [Preamble to the Constitution], this Convention sets itself against it’s own Constitution. And in thus acting unconstitutionally, this Convention now separates itself from the orthodox faith and breaks the ties that bind us to the rest of the Anglican Communion.

We reject this action and dissociate ourselves from it.

Because it is an action of General Convention, this consent changes both the doctrine and discipline of the Episcopal Church. There is no question that it will be perceived as such by our people, the universal Church, and society at large.

On a deeper level, we believe that this is a profound error, contrary to the Word of God and the traditions of the Church Catholic. It will mean that many clergy will no longer be able honestly to keep their ordination vows to uphold the doctrine and discipline of this Church.

To set aside the authority of God’s Word, to defy Holy Scripture’s teaching on marriage and to ignore it’s consistent condemnation of homosexual behavior, violates Article XX of the Articles of Religion, which states, "It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God’s word written. " We believe this consent is contrary to the plain meaning of Scripture.

In overturning the unambiguous moral teaching of the Church universal, this Church has erred and must be corrected by the Anglican Communion. A statement just read in the House of Bishops call[s] upon the Primates of the Anglican Communion, under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury, in accordance with Lambeth Resolution II.6 (b) to intervene in the pastoral emergency that has overtaken us." We join in calling for that intervention.

This unilateral action on our part is catastrophic. We weep for the Episcopal Church and it’s members. We have made a terrible mistake. But understand this clearly: we are not leaving the Church. It is rather this Church which has left the historic faith and has fractured the Anglican Communion, for whose restoration we pledge our faithful and loving efforts.

We have already been informed that, because of conscience, some will be leaving the Convention and returning home. Others will stay off the floor for a period of fasting and prayer. Others will return because they feel duty-bound to vote on other important issues where the orthodox faith of the Church is at stake. But please understand that whether a deputy is in this House or not, we are of one mind because of this action.

Deputies who wish to sign the above statement may do so at the South Carolina deputation or at the office of the American Anglican Council across the street at Central Lutheran Church.

Finally, I would like to recall for this House an image from a luncheon meeting held yesterday, where a bishop of this Church was thinking and praying over what this Convention was about to do. He stood, and he was overcome by emotion that he trembled. His eyeswelled with tears. He tried twice to speak, but he was unable to verbalize his feelings because of the depth of his grief.

This Church will never be the same again.

Thank you, Mr. President